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PAULINE JOHNSON and ALICE Beaudraux, sictors, wore once slaves on the plantation of Ermat Hortise, near
Celousas. Louisiana. As their owners were Prench, they are more inclined to use a Creele pateis than English.
"Us was both slaves on de old plantation close to Cpelaus?" Pauline began. As the older of the two sicters she
carried meet of the coaversation, although often referring to Felice before making positive statements.
"I was 12 year old when freedom come and Felice was 'bout six. He belonged to Massa Dernat Mortine and the
misay's name Mini. They raise as both in the house and they love us so they spoil us. I never will forget that. The
little white chillen was younger than me, 'bout Felice's age. They sho' had pretty li'l curly black hair.
"Us didn't have hard time. Never even knowed hard time. That old massa, he what you call a good man.
"Us daddy was Eonce and he work in the field. The old massa give him a mud and log house and a plot of ground
for he own. The rain she' never get in that log house, it so tight. The furniture was homemake, but my daddy make it
good and stout.
"Us daddy he work de ground he own on Sunday and sold the things to buy us shoes to put on us feet and clothes.
The white folks didn't give us clothes byt they let him have all the money he made in his own plot to get them.
"Us mama Marguorite and she a field hand, too, so us chillen growed up in the white folks house mostly. 'Fore
Felice get big enough to leave I stay in the big house and take care of her.
"One day us papa fall sick in the bed, just 'fere freedom, and he kep' callia' for the priest. Old masea call the priest
and just 'fore us papa die the priest marry him and my mama. 'fore dat they just married by the massa's word.
"Felice and me, us have two brothers what was born and die in slavery, and one sister still livin' in Boliver now. Us
three uncles, Brune and Pophrey and Zaphrey, they goes to the war. Them three dies too young. The Yankees stole
them and make them boys fight for them.
"I never done much work but wash the dishes. We wasn't poor people and they uses good dishes. The missy real
partieular 'bout us shimin' them dishes nice, and the silver speons and knives, too.
"Then white people was good Christian people and they christen us both in the old brick Catholic church in
Cpelousas. They done torn it down now. Missy give me pretty dress to get christen in. My godmother, she Mileen
Mesasosm, but I call her 'Miram'. My godfather called 'Paran.'
"On Sunday normin' us fix our dress and hair and go up to the missy's looking-glass to see if us pretty enough go to
church. Us goes to Mass every Sunday mornin' and church holiday, and when the cullud folks sick massa send for
the priest same's for the white folks.
"We wears them things on the strings round the neck for the good of the heart. They's mutmeg.
"The plantation was a big, grand place and they have lots of orange trees. The slaves pick them oranges and pack
then down on the barrel with la mosse (Spenish noon) to keep them. They was plenty pecans and figs, too.
"In slavery time most everybody round Opoleuses talk Creele. That make the words hard to come sometime. Us
both talk that better way than English.
"Darin' the war, it were a sight. Every mornin' Capt. Jenerette Bank and he men go a horse-back drillin' in the
pasture and then have drill on foot. A white lady take all us chillen to the drill ground every mornin'. Us take the
lunch feed in the backet and stay till they done drill out.
"I can sing for you the song they used to sing:
"O, de Yarkeo come to put de nigger free.
Says I. says I. pas bonne;
In eighteen-sixty-three.
Do Yankee got eat they gun and say.
Earrch! Let's put on the ball.
"When war over none the slaves wants leave the plantation. My mama and us chillen stays on till old massa and
missy dies, and then goes live on the old Repridim place for a time.
"Both us got marry in that Catholic church in Opelousas. As for me, it most too long age to talk about. His name
Alfred Johnson and he dead 13 years. Our youngest boy, John, go to the World War. Two my nephows die in that
war and one nephew can't walk nov from that war.
"Police marry Jeseph Boudreaur and when he die she come here to stay with me. There's more hard time now than
in the old day for us, but I hope things got better.
